U.S. Open Nike Road to Korea With 2-1 Win Over Uruguay at RFK

NewsMay 12, 2002

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sunday, May 12, 2002) — The U.S. Men's National Team opened the "Nike Road to Korea" with a 2-1 win over World Cup bound Uruguay at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. today. Tony Sanneh and DaMarcus Beasley each scored their second career goal with the U.S. MNT in the win. The win was the USA's fifth of the year against teams that have qualified for the 2002 World Cup.

Playing in front of a boisterous crowd of 30,413 fans, the U.S. extended its undefeated home record to 8-0-1 in 2002 and will look to continue that streak when they face Jamaica on Thursday at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

“I was pleased that we did a good job of getting our guys ready to play the game,” said Bruce Arena, referencing the team’s 10-day training camp in Cary, N.C. “Our fitness was pretty good, and it showed in the last 10 minutes. We were able to manage that game the way it had to be managed. Overall (the match was) a good step.”

Chevrolet Man of the Match Beasley was dangerous all afternoon, recording the game-winning goal in the 40th minute. Only a great save from Uruguayan goalkeeper Gustavo Munua in the second half kept Beasley’s name from appearing on the scoresheet a second time. Beasley helped create the first goal, earning a corner kick with his work on the left flank. Agoos curled the ensuing free kick to the near post, where an onrushing Tony Sanneh nodded the ball just under the bar into the upper left corner of the net.

Beasley did all the work alone on the second goal, intercepting an errant pass in the midfield and carrying the ball into the penalty box. Beasley cut the ball around defender Gonzalo Sorondo and fired a shot that Munua saved. Beasley jumped on the rebound and knocked it home before going to celebrate his second career goal with Sam's Army in one end of RFK Stadium.

In the 72nd minute, second-half substitute Joe-Max Moore played a beautiful ball behind the defense, and Beasley received the ball, danced around a Uruguayan defender and ripped a shot that forced Munua to make a full extension save.

Brad Friedel was tremendous in goal for the U.S. in his first domestic game since helping the U.S. clinch a spot in the World Cup with the 2-1 win over Jamaica on October 7, 2001. Friedel made 13 saves in the match, none finer than a pair of free kicks he saved in the first half.

Even on Uruguay’s lone goal, Friedel showed the skill that made him one of the top keepers in England this year. Friedel saved two consecutive shots from inside of 10 yards from Uruguayan striker Alvaro Recoba, before Fabian O’Neill converted a rebound on the third shot.

Chris Armas left the game in the 24th minute after injuring twisting his right knee earlier in the half and will undergo an MRI today. Pablo Mastroeni replaced the Fire midfielder, earning his 9th cap.

Jeff Agoos set a U.S. Soccer record with his 119th start for the U.S. Men’s National Team. Agoos passed Marcelo Balboa, who started 118 matches in his 13-year career. Agoos also played his 10,000th minute with the U.S., becoming just the third player in MNT history to pass that milestone.

The “Nike Road to Korea” continues on Thursday, when the U.S. faces CONCACAF rival Jamaica at 7:30 p.m. ET (live on ESPN2) at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. From there, the U.S. heads north to Boston where they play a talented Holland squad in their World Cup send-off match on May 19 (Sunday) at CMGI Field in Foxboro, Mass., at 2 p.m. ET in a match that will be shown live on ABC.

The U.S. departs for Korea and the 2002 FIFA World Cup on May 23. Arena’s squad opens the World Cup on June 5 in Suwon against Portugal. The U.S. then faces the hosts South Korea on June 10 in Daegu, and then wraps up group play on June 14 against Poland in Daejon.

OTHER NOTES: The goal was Sanneh’s second with the U.S., his first coming in the memorable 3-0 win against Germany in Jacksonville, Fla. on Feb. 6, 1999 … Beasley’s first goal came earlier this year on Jan. 19, when he scored the gamewinner in the final minute of a 2-1 win over Korea … In the game’s first minute, Agoos played his 10,000th minute with the U.S. MNT … Agoos (10,089 minutes) sits in third place in all-time minutes played, behind Marcelo Balboa (10,457) and 2002 World Cup teammate Cobi Jones (10,284) ... Greg Vanney and Eddie Lewis, who had both been in Europe due to play with their club teams this weekend, were in attendance at RFK Stadium today … The U.S. is now 8-3-3 at RFK Stadium.